Unhinged History

This week, Angie kicks things off with Judge Crater's disappearance. Now, for those of us playing at home, this was the old-timey scandal. Judge Crater had links to presidential candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt and had cashed out a ton of money. He was dubbed "the missingest man in New York.”

Warning: this is a cold case, and it annoyed Theresa.

Pivoting sharply, Theresa heads back to the origins of Vancouver, Washington, and follows the handiwork of a six-foot-tall nun named Mother Joseph. This absolute badass would build over 30 hospitals, schools, and orphanages throughout her career in the PWN and establish the Providence Medical system, still in operation today.

This story pairs well with:

The Mysterious Disappearance of Agatha Christie

The Woman Who Founded Vancouver, Washington: Esther Short

The Weird Case of the Meowing Nuns

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This week, Theresa and Angie do what they do best.

Theresa kicks things off with the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant. This incredible capitalist, becomes a millionaire in 1800s San Francisco, invests heavily in Black communities, all while fighting lawsuits accusing her of fraud, theft, and even voodoo. Of course, Theresa is a huge fan.

Angie takes things up a notch by sharing the tale of Boudica. That’s right. Buckle up for the British heavy hitter. Boudica, who was already outspoken against the Roman overloads, develops a burning rage after getting flogged and witnessing her daughters’ sexual assaults. So she does what any reasonable person does: rouses a rabble of up to 100k countrymen and burns the Roman world to the ground.

This story pairs well with:

John Brown

Artemesia 

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Life is weird and seemingly anachronistic from time to time, and so are the stories that make up our history.

Theresa starts with one such story, sharing the story of John Batman, the founding father of Melbourne, Australia. She relishes getting to expose the dirt on this man, his syphilis, the fact that he originally named Melbourne “Batmania,” and was carried around in a wicker batmobile. Just know if she ever tells a story about a founding father, it will always go like this.

Meanwhile, Angie tells a wildly different tale, and she shares the 1950s heist of the Stone of Destiny, or that time a group of Scottish college students broke into Westminster Abby and stole the rock upon which all Scottish kings were crowned since 1249.

 

This story pairs well with:

Ona Judge

Irish Crown Jewel Heist

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We have a special guest for our listeners this week. Nikki from the History Unlocked with Nikki podcast joins us and kicks things off by telling us one unhinged story.

She tells us about the Cadaver Synod, which is the posthumous trial of Pope Formosus. This dude was dug up and tried by the current pope, who was deposed. The next pope condemned the affair, but he didn’t last long, and his replacement dug up Pope Formosus and tried him again. It was a whole thing.

Then, Theresa tells us the story of Petrus Gonsalvus, the historical basis of Beauty and the Beast. This poor guy was born as a slave, with werewolf syndrome (hypertrichosis). This genetic rarity resulted in him being given as a gift to France’s King Henry II at his coronation. Henry decides to see if this beast can be educated. Henry’s wife, Cathrine de Medici, ups the ante and wants to see if he can procreate. So she arranges his marriage to an unwitting woman.

When four of their children also experience hypertrichosis, they are taken from the family and given away to nobles as pets.

In a bid to improve the tone of the podcast, Angie shares the life of Theresa’s favorite name, Dick Gorgeous. Gorgeous is the man who stole the Irish Crown Jewels, and when you listen to his background, you can really understand how his whole life led to this event.

This story pairs well with:

The pope who wrote the dirty book

Mulan

The Irish Crown Jewel Heist

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Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. As a small, independent podcast, we rely heavily on those small actions to help. They’re free, and so are you. Hopefully.

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. As a small, independent podcast, we rely heavily on those small actions to help. They’re free, and so are you. Hopefully. This week, both of the unhinged storytellers seemed to share a theme neither of them knew about.

Angie starts off by telling us about Aaron Burr. Specifically about the time when Burr attempted to wage war against the US and create his own country in what is now Louisiana. He beats this charge, making it the FOURTH time he was charged with treason and got acquitted. What can you say he has a talent for it?  

Seemingly on the same wavelength, Theresa presents a rather apologetic retelling of Benedict Arnold. Hear the whole retelling of his life and how he supported the patriots for win after win, only to deal with the worst co-worker/boss of his, Horatio Gates. Between the animosity toward Gates and his desire to earn more money, he switches sides. But, according to Theresa, if Benedict Arnold had died in a previous battle, he would be revered as a founding father.

This story pairs well with:

Aaron Burr’s Ex-wife: Eliza Jumel

The Boston Tea Party

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You want tough women?! This week, Angie and Theresa share some absolute baddies.

Theresa kicks things off with Diane Nash, who led the Freedom Rides. You know, those integrated bus rides in the deep south, where a bus was firebombed, the victims were arrested (after getting beaten by angry mobs).

Angie pivots the episode into a wildly different direction when she shares the story of Amelie Elie, the woman who launched a gang war in France. She was kinda the modern equivalent to Helen of Troy, but with French gangs of the Victorian era.

This story pairs well with:

The Black Panther Party's Free Breakfast Program

Alice "Diamond Annie" and the Forty Elephants - London girl gang

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Angie steals the entire episode to share a story of friendship in a time of war that you are not prepared for.

In 1967, John "Chickie" Donohue, a merchant marine and Marine veteran, took up the mission to leave the safety of New York City by himself, with a dufflebag of Pabst beer, and deliver it to friends fighting in the Vietnam War.

This impossible tale is apparently now a movie starring Zac Efron.

 

This story pairs well with:

Tootsie Rolls at the Chosin Reservoir

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This week, Angie and Theresa share some incredible stories.

Angie kicks things off with the story of Stormé DeLarverie. She is credited with throwing the first punch at the Stonewall Uprising, but did she?

Theresa pivots and takes us to South Africa to tell the story of Simon Nkoli, the gay activist who campaigned for gay rights and against Apartheid.

This episode pairs well with:

Stonewall

The Pink Triangles

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Sometimes Theresa and Angie venture into the deep past.

Today, Theresa tells us about Thomas(ine) Hall, the intersex individual from Colonial America who spent the majority of their life swapping between sexes to live life.

Then, to remind us about Father’s Day, Angie shares the story of “Big Daddy Cnut,” the Viking ruler whose empire spanned England, Norway, and Denmark. And yes, Angie does indeed refer to this man as “Big Daddy Cnut.”

This episode pairs well with:

Ona Judge

Battle Of Hastings

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We are in the middle of Pride Month and celebrating with some brilliant heroes.

Angie kicks things off with the story of Dora Richter, a German woman who was the first known person to undergo a complete transformation from male to female via surgery.

Theresa moves into more well-known territory by sharing the life and background of the historic Sylvia Rivera. You might have heard of her, as she was credited with throwing the second Molotov cocktail at Stonewall. Come hear the before and after.

This story pairs well with:

Stonewall Uprising

Christine Jorgensen

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Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. As a small, independent podcast, we rely heavily on those small actions to help. They’re free, and so are you. Hopefully.